Henry Krokatsis ‘Helter-Skelter-Lighthouse’
April 14th, 2009 by sparky
Henry Krokatsis will create a centre piece for The Big Chill 2009.
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Artist Henry Krokatsis has been working closely with the Art Trail curator Alice Sharp developing his ideas to respond to Eastnor Castle’s landscape and festival setting. Henry Krokatsis will create a ten metre high ‘helter-skelter-lighthouse’ as a centre piece for the festival. It will be situated on the lake by the main stage and will be illuminated after dark by festoons wrapped around its skeleton. Krokatsis is interested in creating dreamlike, off kilter buildings in historic landscapes. The fact that ‘helter-skelter-lighthouse’ will be inaccessible on the lake adds to its being like a childhood vision.
His previous work ‘Ambo’ in 2007 at Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire was based on the pulpit of a chapel in the grounds. The sculpture was set in the boughs of a large oak tree and so combined architectural ideas from both tree houses and churches.
Henry Krokatsis - Biography
Henry Krokatsis has undertaken several large scale public art commissions, including ‘Ambo’ for the ‘Artists Playground’ in 2007 at Sudeley Castle and ‘Give Me Shelter’ in 2008, at Attingham Park, Shropshire with Meadow Arts. He co-curated You’ll Never Know, Hayward Gallery National Touring Show in 2006, with Jeni Walwin. His gallery is David Risley Gallery Copenhagen.
Artist Henry Krokatsis was interviewed by the Big Chill’s curator Alice Sharp about his new work for this year’s festival…
Describe your artwork for the Big Chill
I’m making a construction in the lake, it’s a 10 metre tower, somewhere between a lighthouse, a helter skelter and Rapunzel’s tower.
What influence has the festival setting had on your work?
It’s a context that’s fully formed, it means that there are a whole load of expectations already in place that can be twisted.
What interests you about creating architectural structures that are often dreamlike and change their intended purpose?
The things that interest me generally, are the things that fall between the gaps. I’m looking to make things that have, in a quiet way, a sense of the inexplicable, things that pull us away from logic and rationality towards the realm of visions.
What do you think the audience’s reaction will be to your piece?
I can’t say, I don’t know what my own reaction will be. The great thing about making something here is that it’s seen several times a day over a few days. Ideally you want something like this to get under your skin, it may not register for someone in the beginning, or initially they dismiss it, but if it lodges itself quietly in the back of your mind and slowly nags away then I know its worked.
Who or what are you looking forward to seeing at the festival?
Orbital, Basement Jaxx, Spiritualized and David Byrne holding hands and singing We Are The World in a giant finale on Sunday evening or whatever else comes across my path.
Henry Krokatsis will create a centre piece for The Big Chill 2009.
A-Z line-up | Buy tickets
